1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a game device. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention pertain to a foosball game apparatus having a timing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are many types of game devices that are used as miniaturized versions of various athletic games. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,881,726 issued on May 6, 1975, to G. Serafini discloses a miniature game of table soccer. The table top has a miniature soccer playing field thereon on which a plurality of figurine soccer players are moved into playing positions in respective zones. The figurines are mounted on end portions of respective metal tapes that can be individually advanced longitudinally and retracted and are individually transported transversely of the playing field. Manually actuated actuators advance and retract the tapes and move them transversely of the playing field zones for transporting the figurine soccer players individually into respective playing positions for kicking or throwing a playing ball. Goals and goalkeeper soccer players are actuated individually likewise by respective tapes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,243, issued on Nov. 18, 1975 to A. Santos, Sr., teaches a soccer game which employs a substantially planer playing surface within which are formed a plurality of spaced apart recesses. A goal section is located at each longitudinal end of the playing surface and each goal section is protected by a playing member which is moveable there across. A spherical playing object is adapted to be locatable upon the playing surface. Each recess is constructed so that the playing object is caused to be positioned at the lowest part of each recess. The lowest part of each recess is located just forward of a playing member which is locatable within each said recess. The playing member is movable between a retracted position and an extended position to cause propelling of the playing object. The playing members are selectively actuatable by means of an actuating means connected at each end of the playing surface. Other soccer related examples are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,046,378, 4,025,073, 4,382,598, 5,058,892, 5,071,137, 5,072,880, 5,333,864, 5,419,555, 5,496,031, and 5,641,163.
Even though table soccer game apparatuses discussed above are similar to a miniaturized version of an actual athletic game, they lack a vital component of an actual athletic game that relates to time and set time periods. Therefore, there is a need for a table soccer game (foosball game) that is electronically capable of maintaining a time period and a score.